


we die alone, we'll all die young

by velaryons



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Explicit Language, Gen, Marauders' Era, OC/OC - Freeform, Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter), expect the main ones tbh, i dont wanna tag them all, lots of friendships, lots of other characters too - Freeform, maybe ill tag them later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-30
Updated: 2018-05-30
Packaged: 2019-05-16 05:50:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14805572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/velaryons/pseuds/velaryons
Summary: As Marlene McKinnon's sixth year begins, Professor Slughorn assigns Lily Evans to be her Potions partner. With Lily as a new friend and confidante, Marlene and her other friends forge new connections, discover the horrors of the war outside the castle walls, and find purpose. And if bothering a certain cheeky Gryffindor boy comes along with that, then so be it.





	we die alone, we'll all die young

**Author's Note:**

> title from devil like me by rainbow kitten surprise

They had snuck in during the night, with a wand to Simon’s throat. “Sorry,” he had mouthed, beads of sweat upon his forehead that were in no way connected to the humidity outdoors. He had been coming back from a friend’s house when they accosted him and forced him to lead them through the protective spells around the house.

The three Death Eaters had tied her mother and father to chairs, her older sister Casey to the fireplace, and Simon alongside her. Marlene was left bound on her knees, in the middle of what had once been the family’s quaint little den.

The house was now destroyed; the brief battle had left curtains in tatters and furniture in pieces. Marlene’s family had been overpowered quickly—almost embarrassingly so, but they had been ambushed while asleep, so that had to count for something, she mused. Their wands had all been snapped in half, and thrown in a pile near the door.

Selwyn, she realized, was leading this mission as he took off his mask and sneered. He grabbed her mother’s beautiful brown curls and yanked her head back, his wand tracing the line of her throat. “Pretty. For a muggle,” he said scathingly, while her mother whimpered. Her mother, who hadn’t been involved at all. “She knows nothing,” Selwyn decided. A flash of green light, and her mother slumped, dead. Casey screamed, the sound almost garbled. She had a broken nose, and blood was streaming from her left nostril and likely down the back of her throat.

Selwyn ignored Casey’s bellows. He ignored Simon’s tears. He ignored her father’s quiet shock. He raised his foot and kicked over the chair her mother had been tied to, and as it went crashing to the floor, Marlene closed her eyes.

“Gag that one,” said one of the other Death Eaters. A deep voice. One she recognized. Mulciber, who had attacked Mary five years ago. The smallest Death Eater shoved something in Casey’s mouth.

Mulciber looked at Marlene and said with derision: “We know you know the most. We know you’re the spy. So if you don’t talk, we’re killing your family one by one. And then we’ll be rid of the blasted McKinnons—the favorite family of the Order.”

He nodded to the smallest Death Eater, who put her wand to her father’s head. Her father’s eyes were shut tight. He just worked Ministry reconnaissance. He was barely involved.

“Now talk. Where are the Potters?” asked Selwyn, almost calmly.

“It’s alright love. Don’t say anything. It’s alright.” Her father spoke quietly, his eyes still shut tight. “I love all three of you. I love you.”

So Marlene said nothing.

Another flash of green light. And her father was dead too. Simon howled. Marlene felt the tears spring up, but she said nothing.

“That one’s next,” said Selwyn, gesturing towards her brother. Again, the smallest Death Eater raised their wand. “ _Where. Are. The. Potters_.”

“I don’t know. They didn’t tell me.”

“You’re a _fucking_ liar.”

Marlene shrugged. “Maybe so, Mulciber. But you’ll never know for certain, I’ll wager. You never were too bright back in school.”

Her eyes moved to Simon’s shaking form. They gazed at each other, a silent communication. Mulciber came up behind her restrained body and kicked her in the head. The pain was blinding.

“Ow.”

“Fucking brat,” said the smallest Death Eater, who took off their mask. It was Anna Travers, Marlene's worst enemy. She almost let out a bark of laughter but reined it in.

“Anna Travers, back from hell, I see? Was it a lovely holiday?”

Anna chose to ignore her and turned to Simon. She smashed his head back against the stone hearth. Again and again and again. Blood sprayed, her brother screamed, Casey sobbed, and as Simon fell, Marlene felt another piece of herself die with him.

“Is he dead?” asked Selwyn.

“ _Avada Kedavra_ ,” muttered Anna, “He is now if he wasn’t.”

“One more family member to go, Marlene. You’re killing them. This is your fault.”

“Ok, Selwyn,” Marlene breathed slowly, “I’ll talk.”

“Marlene, no!” Casey yelled unintelligibly, muffled by the gag. She was furiously shaking her head.

“I won’t let them kill you too Casey!”

But stupid, brave, resourceful Casey had finally managed to rid herself of her bonds. She leapt for Anna’s wand, but missed. Travers whirled around and flicked her wrist. Casey’s neck broke with a loud snap. Her eyes were open and she stared at Marlene as the light left them. She lay on the floor, her head and body at the most terrible of angles, and Marlene screamed.

“She’s not gonna talk,” Mulciber said over Marlene’s cries.

“I know nothing! I swear I know nothing! No one knows where they are. Not even Dumbledore. For all I know they left the country. I can’t…I can’t…” she choked on the words and watched as Selwyn raised his wand and pointed it between her eyes.

“No!” Travers snapped, and she swatted Selwyn’s wand arm away. “I get to kill her. That was the deal.”

Selwyn shrugged and stalked over to where Mulciber was watching at the door. Travers kicked Marlene in the gut several times, then the face once. The wind rushed out of her and Marlene cried as she toppled over, still bound.

“Look at you, crying. You’re gonna lose, you know. Everyone you love is gonna die. Look around—I’ve already started. We’re gonna find your precious Lily and we’re going to kill her. We’ll find that filthy blood traitor Black and we’ll kill him too. I might do that one myself if I get the chance. But you, you’re the ultimate prize. I’ve never hated _anyone_ as much as I hate you. You’re a bitch. You’re a filthy half blooded bitch.” She kicked again, the beatings growing more uncontrolled and senseless.

Marlene felt blood dripping from her nose. She raised her bound hands to her face, stuck her finger in her nose and pulled it out. It was covered in bright red blood.

“What are you doing?” Travers snapped. But Marlene ignored her and started writing on the floor, writing in her own blood.

“They’re here. The Order is fucking here. Kill her and let’s go,” shouted Mulciber. “ _Morsmordre_!”

And Anna Travers, with the most gleeful look on her face, pointed her wand at Marlene McKinnon and screamed “ _AVADA KEDAVRA_!”

The last flash of green light, and Marlene McKinnon was dead.

If she had been alive for the next five minutes, Marlene would have seen the Dark Mark over her destroyed house. She would have seen Travers, Mulciber, and Selwyn disapparate in a flash. And exactly thirty seconds after they disappeared, she would have seen Alice Longbottom, Mad-Eye Moody, and Sirius Black blast through the closed door. She would have seen Alice’s tears and Sirius’ roars of pain. She would have felt him cradling her dead, broken body. And then she would have heard him laughing. Crying and laughing simultaneously.

“What are you laughing at, Black?” Moody would have said gruffly.

She would have watched her beloved Sirius point to the floor, where written in her blood were the words:

**IT WAS TRAVERS**

Because Marlene McKinnon always had the last laugh.

**Author's Note:**

> ahhh yikes this is my first published fic...lmk what you think. from what i have so far it's gonna have a few different POVs but it's mainly marlene's story. 
> 
> and sorry it had to start on a sad note...wanted to begin with the end. we'll see how far we get lol
> 
> ok bye!!


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